Coming back from their first September off in eight years, Hawthorn were one of many clubs that were hard to read in 2018, with pundits not game to tip consecutive bottom-ten finishes with master coach Alastair Clarkson at the helm.

The financial reports for AFL clubs for last season are starting to come in, and early indications are that quite a few clubs are reporting good profits, including clubs which failed to make the final eight.

The financial reports for AFL clubs for last season are starting to come in, and early indications are that quite a few clubs are reporting good profits, including clubs which failed to make the final eight.

The financial reports for AFL clubs for last season are starting to come in, and early indications are that quite a few clubs are reporting good profits, including clubs which failed to make the final eight.

With the home-and-away season, the finals series, and the trade period all completed, it’s time to do not only a review of each club’s 2018 season (complete with expectation comparisons) but the likelihoods and expectations for the coming 2019 campaign.

Despite a couple of ruckmen this year being in the running for the Brownlow Medal, yet another count has been dominated by midfielders. When you’re doing your form for next year, pick a midfielder and perhaps look for one who has recently switched clubs. For these are the Brownlow trends that continue to emerge.